When I'm With You
by The Lonely Goatherd
Summary: One night Galinda subjects herself to thinking  a dangerous feat in itself  and it leads to something that neither Elphaba nor Galinda could have expected... Can the two come to term with their thoughts?  Or should they be left alone and never bothered? G


**Disclaimer:** Wicked is not mine…but I can dream, right?

**Author's Note: **This is just an idea I got today while trying to get over my boredom. Let's see how it turns out, shall we? It's only my second Wicked fic…so off we go!! Oh and this is Gelphie! You've been told!

I was going to consider this neither a book or musical verse, but then Elphaba seemed to me more like she did in the musical than the book…so if I have to pick one, it's Musical…

**Summary: **

**When I'm With You-  
-****A One Shot**

The room was dark and silent. The only light came from the full moon shining through the window; the only sound, her green roommate's breathing as she slowly drifted to sleep. It was all comforting and calming. The same as every night before this and surely every night to come. The calm of the night should lull her to sleep, like it always had. But tonight, Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands could not find sleep. She was thinking.

Galinda couldn't pinpoint what she was actually thinking about, really. She just….was…

It was like her mind was just going, stopping at nothing and not waiting for her to catch up. She tapped her well-manicured fingers on her soft comforter and tightly closed her eyes, trying to force sleep upon herself. She tried to clear her mind but that only led to her thinking of ways she could successfully do so and she found herself at square one again. Letting out a quiet groan of frustration she turned onto her side, looking out the window.

Galinda stared blankly out, watching the tree outside move slightly as a breeze blew through the air. The branches hit the window, breaking the silence. Across the room Galinda heard Elphaba move in her sleep from the disturbance of peace. The blonde smiled.

If there was any moment of the day that Galinda liked Elphaba the best it was when the green woman was sleeping. Though the two roommates had become friends and Galinda enjoyed her time with Elphaba more than anyone at the University it was in her slumber that Galinda like Elphaba most of all. It was the only time she felt she actually saw a glimpse of the real Elphaba Thropp.

In the dark, eyes closed, Elphaba shed her strong exterior. She didn't have to be distant with others and pretend she didn't care about what they thought of her. She didn't have to deal with her sister, or the stares, or the whispers. She was left alone and peaceful. Galinda swore it was the only time an actual smile crossed her best friend's features.

From her bed, Elphaba gave a contented sigh. Galinda giggled at the sound, having never heard a blissful sigh like that emit from Elphaba, ever. And she was certain that Elphaba would kill her if she ever said she had heard it.

Feeling more than compelled, Galinda found herself silently climbing out of bed. She didn't know why she suddenly wanted to actually see Elphaba's face, but she did. She knew she shouldn't go and watch the other woman in her sleep, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass.

Quickly, Galinda tiptoed over to her roommate's bed and stood by the edge; Elphaba was lying on her side, facing her. Her breathing was soft, her chest moving slightly with each breath. She could make out the small curve of each of the green woman's breasts under her night gown. Galinda felt a blush rush to her cheeks as she realized exactly where she had been staring and she reluctantly tore her eyes away, focusing on Elphaba's face.

Her bony features were hidden as her raven locks fell over her face. Delicately, Galinda reached forward and pushed her hair behind her ear, letting her small fingers grace across Elphaba's green cheek. It reminded Galinda of the first snow of the year, white flakes just beginning to cover the green grass.

The look Galinda saw on Elphaba's face nearly made her squeal. Never in her time knowing her friend had Galinda seen the woman look so happily girlie. Not that Elphaba didn't look like a girl, she just didn't embrace her features; but now…now. Her face was relaxed, all the tension gone. Her thin lips forming a wide smile that Galinda didn't know they were capable of forming. The moon creeping through the window hit her face in just a way that it lit her face and hid it at the same time.

_…I'm beautifully tragic…_

The words Elphaba had spoken their first day at Shiz ran through Galinda's mind. At the moment they had been spoken Galinda had quickly agreed to the statement, but now as she watched Elphaba in her slumber she disagreed wholeheartedly. She was…beautifully enchanting.

Something in her dreams made the green woman happy and she snuggled deeper into her pillow. Galinda was surprised to see Elphaba's smile widen, not thinking it would have been able to. She found the smile contagious as one slowly spread across her own porcelain features.

She wondered what could make Elphaba so utterly happy. She looked so content. Beyond content, really. What kind of dream was happening in her complicated mind? Was she dreaming of a rainy day? The heavens? The Emerald City? Meeting the Wizard? Galinda?

The blonde blushed at the thought, but didn't tear her eyes from Elphaba's sleeping form. Her eyes focused on the closed eyelids of Elphaba's, watching the green woman's eyes move rapidly behind her closed lids as her dreams continued.

It was odd really. The more Galinda thought the more she realized that her thoughts always led towards the green woman lying before her. She couldn't get her out of her mind. She often wondered if Elphaba thought of Galinda as much as the cynical woman crossed her mind. But what was more she thought of her and Elphaba _together_. She knew she shouldn't. It went against anything she had ever been taught. But she couldn't help it. More than once she had woken in the middle of the night covered in sweat from a dream of her and Elphaba---she gulped, a heat rising through her body.

She hated thinking about it, but she couldn't get away from it. And the more she thought about it the more she wanted to think about it and the more she hated it. She was treading in dangerous waters with such thoughts and they were better kept locked away in the far corners of her mind. But they always found a way to creep towards the front and plague her.

But it wasn't a bad plague. It was actually quite wonderful when she really thought about it. Wonderful, because no thought had ever felt more right to her. In her dreams, when the exotic woman held her, Galinda had never felt more loved and couldn't remember loving anyone anymore. Love. The word stood out among others. Was it really love? She loved Elphaba as a friend. And she had…_feelings,_ of a sort. But did that mean her love of her as a friend transferred into those feelings? Could she really love Elphaba like that? She thought of it for a moment. In all reality she--

Somewhere nearby she heard a small chuckle, bringing her back to the present and it was the first time that Galinda found she was no longer staring at Elphaba's closed eyelids, but the depths of her chocolate brown eyes.

"May I help you?" she quipped, clearly amused, a smirk replacing the smile on her face.

Galinda blushed beet red, quickly turning away to hide the guilty look from Elphaba. Without a word she walked to the window and lightly placed her head against the cool glass, trying to get it to cool her body. She took in a deep ragged breath. How could she have gotten caught? She felt the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes.

"Galinda? Are you alright?" Elphaba's voice asked from behind her, concern evident in her words.

"Fine," she replied, her voice sounding cheerful as always. If there was one thing Galinda prided herself in it was the fact that she was a good liar. Though, thinking about it, she supposed she should find something else to be prideful of.

"Oh," Elphaba's voice trailed off, Galinda not knowing if she believed her or not. Hopefully she wouldn't press the matter anymore. "Then, may I ask why you were standing by my bed and looking at me?" Her tone hinted that she was slightly disconcerted by finding Galinda standing there.

Damn. "Thinking," Galinda replied, standing straight again. Her voice was confident but held a note of finality to it, making it perfectly clear that the conversation should end.

She could tell that a smirk whipped across Elphaba'a features. "I knew I was getting somewhere with you," she said. Galinda was sure that if Elphaba had been any other kind of girl she would have jumped off the bed and danced. Oh the sight. A small smile played at Galinda's lips.

Elphaba waited for the sharp remark she usually got in return for her sarcastic comments, but received nothing. "What about?" she finally asked, breaking the deathly silence, more than thrown by Galinda's odd behavior.

"Love."

The word flew out of Galinda's mouth before she could stop it. She instantly berated herself silently for the slipup. She hadn't meant to say it, and hadn't wanted to. Galinda did not need Elphaba to know that said thoughts of love revolved around her.

"What about love?"

Galinda shrugged and refused to meet the look she could see Elphaba giving her through her peripheral vision. "Just love," she covered, not wanting to give away her actual thoughts.

Elphaba, only slightly content with the answer she got, turned to look out the window as well. It was a clear night. The moon was full and bright, casting a dazzling light across the campus, but making the shadows even more unfriendly. It was obvious that there was a slight breeze.

The stars sparkled against the black sky, creating a symphonic light show. Elphaba's eyes settled on two stars. They sat at eye level, just across the courtyard; they seemed to be shining brighter than the rest—two never-ending sparkles of joy. And what was more, they seemed to be tinted a shade of blue. Yes, if her eyes didn't betray her, the two bright stars appeared blue. Two constantly joyous bright blue orbs; they reminded her of Galinda's eyes.

Elphaba gave a quick shake of the head, trying to get the thought to leave. But try as she might she couldn't. And this wasn't the first time. As her friendship with Galinda grew Elphaba found herself thinking of her doll-like roommate more often than not. Everything she saw somehow reminded her of Galinda. And once she was reminded of the woman, she often wondered what Galinda was doing at that moment – if she wasn't around, though she usually was. What she was thinking. If Galinda's blonde thoughts ever rested on her and all her greenness.

Galinda haunted her mind, ever present. Even when she slept Elphaba couldn't get away from her. It wasn't uncommon for her dreams to consist of herself and Galinda together. And though she hated to admit it, not just like together like they were everyday, but really _together_. What was more, try as she might, the dreams made Elphaba happy. Happier than she thought she could be – than she thought she was allowed to be. Those thoughts never ended in her dreams, as they often followed her through the day. A never-ending movie playing in her mind.

She couldn't quite place these feelings or thoughts, but she had an idea of what they were bordering and she refused to believe it. It was unacceptable and she would have to accept it as that.

"Elphie?" Galinda's quiet voice broke into Elphaba's thoughts.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever been in love?" Galinda asked, finally turning and looking the green woman in the eye.

Galinda didn't know what prompted her to say it. She hadn't been planning on saying it. It sort of slipped out, in all her thinking. But now that it was said she really was curious. It was something that the two friends had never talked about.

Elphaba was caught off guard by the question and was certain that if it had been a physical blow she would have been across the room and on the floor. "I--I," she couldn't even form an answer. Her thoughts immediately went back to Galinda and what she had been thinking moments before. Is that what all this was about? "I--uh…" The usually composed woman blushed a dark purple as she was once reduced to being speechless.

Galinda watched Elphaba try to find words, the slightest bit amused at the reaction. Galinda had never seen Elphaba at loss for a response and was to some extent pleased that she had been the one to reduce her to mere stammers. A usually uncharacteristic smirk crossed Galinda's features.

The look on the blonde's face was enough to make Elphaba squirm even more. She could tell Galinda had a teasing remark on the tip of her tongue, but was refraining from saying it because she wanted Elphaba to answer the question.

"I--I--don't know," Elphaba finished pathetically, satisfying neither Galinda's question or her own.

"You don't know? How can you not be sure?"

Elphaba shrugged. "I don't know. Have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Ever been in love?"

"I--" Galinda froze. Her own question suddenly came back to bite her in the rear. Had she? Was that what she felt when her thoughts traveled to Elphaba? "--don't know," she finished lamely.

Her response earned her a slight cackle from Elphaba. "I rest my case." Galinda smiled at Elphaba before turning back to the window, her green friend following suit.

The two roommates fell into a comfortable silence. Both their thoughts on the same matter, though neither would admit it. Nor would they suspect the other of such thoughts. It was almost treacherous.

"What do you suppose it's like?" Galinda broke the silence again.

Elphaba turned slightly, looking down at the blonde. She had a far-off look on her face, as if she were trying to summon the feeling. She turned back to the window, her brown eyes instantly finding the two stars she had found earlier. "I suppose it's what I feel when I'm with you."

There was a sharp intake of breath from her right and Elphaba immediately froze. Had she really just said that out loud? Judging by the fact that from the corner of her eye she could see Galinda staring at her intently, mouth agape, the answer was yes. She cursed herself again.

How could she have said that? How was it possible that Galinda was able to reduce her to this…this…form! She always was thoughtful and always focused. But when alone with Galinda she was changed into _this_. She lost her level-headedness, speaking before she thought. Only Galinda could get her this way. But why? Perhaps for the same reason she had just spoken?

Elphaba cleared her throat, and kept her eyes trained away from Galinda's searching ones. "Yes, well, I think I'm going to try and get some more sleep. Goodnight Galinda."

She turned, fully prepared to make way for her bed and stop at nothing when she felt a warm hand clasp her own. A warmth Elphaba had never experienced before ran through her veins, making her lightheaded. What was happening?

"Elphie, wait," Galinda said quietly. She had felt her stomach do a flip when Elphaba had spoken, her heart rate increasing. But now as she held Elphaba's hand limply in her own, keeping her in place, she felt her breathing become short at the contact. Her body became warm and she immediately felt calm and safe.

Elphaba sighed, trying desperately to build up her barriers that Galinda could tear down. "What, Galinda?" she asked, tired, turning so she was once again facing her smaller roommate.

"Do you really mean it?" Galinda asked, shyly.

Elphaba froze, once again shocked. Of all things she was expecting Galinda to say, that had not been it. "I--what?" she asked, still unclear as to if she had heard correctly.

Galinda smiled slightly. "Did you really mean what you said?" The blonde looked down, Elphaba following her gaze. It seemed that it was the first time the two realized that Galinda still had her hand wrapped around Elphaba's.

Elphaba remained silent, but returned Galinda's grip, and brought their hands to her eye level. She studied the entwined limbs like a book, trying to decipher this like she was able to do with anything else. It was surprisingly beautiful, the way their skin tones clashed. It wasn't horrible like she had thought it would be. It was like, like, the light of the moon caught their hands, making them seem to shine. Like emeralds and diamonds. Simply striking.

Galinda watched Elphaba study their hands, heart beating faster than she knew it could. Was this what a heart attack felt like? She was certain that Elphaba would be able to hear the pounding from where she stood.

Galinda, once again, didn't know why she had asked the question. Quite frankly she wasn't sure what she would do with either response she got from the green woman. A no, she realized, would be heart breaking. While a yes – Galinda felt her heart to a flip at the mere thought. Perhaps this really was what love felt like. Her symptoms all pointed to those from the stories she had been told.

Elphaba inwardly smirked as Galinda began to bounce slightly in anticipation for her answer. Brown eyes met blue and Elphaba knew her answer. The hope she saw, or thought she saw, gave her the courage to finally speak.

"Yes, I did," she said quietly, lowering their hands but not letting go, refusing to meet Galinda's gaze.

Galinda smiled brightly and tried to take a step forward, but felt her knees go weak and give out beneath her. She closed her eyes tightly, prepared to feel the ground meet her. Instead she felt Elphaba's arms wrap around her waist, to steady her, carefully bringing her into a standing position again. Galinda slowly moved her hands into Elphaba's grasping slender green digits in her own petite ones.

Elphaba suddenly felt uncomfortable at how close they were and she still didn't know what Galinda thought of what she just said. She tried to back away, but the smaller girl held her in place. The petite blonde could be freakishly strong when she wanted to.

Galinda titled her head back to look the taller woman in the eye. Elphaba just stood, unmoving, not sure what to do or if she could do anything to begin with. It seemed an eternity before Galinda finally spoke.

"I think I know the answer too," she started, her eyes looking down, shy.

"What?" Elphaba croaked. She was finding it difficult to concentrate on anything other than the feeling of Galinda's hands resting on her arms.

Galinda began to play with the material of Elphaba's sleeve. "Love."

"Oh?"

Galinda nodded, before seeking out Elphaba's eyes again. "I suppose it's what I feel when I'm with you," she said, sending the green woman's words back at her.

It was Elphaba's turn to take in a sharp breath. She glanced quickly at their entwined hands before once again meeting Galinda's gaze. Had she just heard? Surely she hadn't. There was no way Galinda would—no, never. It just wasn't plausible. Yet here they were, standing in their room in the middle of the night, clad in their sleepwear, holding hands. If the look Galinda was giving her now was any indication of the truth, then everything was very, very true.

In the years to come Galinda would never know who closed the distance between them. They both could have, or it could have been solely Elphaba, or she could have but her heart was beating to fast to tell. For all she knew she was flying and she had no idea.

The minute their lips met, however, Galinda was certain she was flying. Never in her life had she ever felt this good and it was simply a kiss. Nothing deep or anything of the sort, just chaste. If this innocent act made her soar like that she could only imagine what more would feel like. Before she could take a step forward to find out, Elphaba pulled away.

Though the taller of the two had broken the kiss, Galinda could still feel Elphaba's warm breath hitting her lips as she spoke. "Well, now isn't this quite a situation," she said, an odd smile tugging at her lips.

Galinda's breath caught at the sight. The same smile Elphaba's face held when she slept was now plastered on her face. The knowledge that she actually was the reason Elphaba had a true smile on her face, at least for this moment, made Galinda feel more loved than the kiss itself.

"I suppose it is," she responded, smiling nonetheless. "But what do we do with the situation?" she teased.

Elphaba's brow narrowed in thought. What did they do? This wasn't exactly your typical arrangement or relationship. Was it a relationship? There was no doubt that they had crossed a line tonight. But now what? "I don't know. Galinda, I'm not very---I've never--"

"Can't talk?" Galinda teased again.

Elphaba sighed in defeat and shook her head. "Only when I'm with you."

Galinda's smiled widened. "I'm honored."

Silence filled the room as both woman tried to think of what to do or say. Galinda, once again, broke the silence. "Do you--do you think we could give this a try?" she asked quietly, moving their entwined hands at 'this'.

Elphaba took a small step back. "Do you think we should? I mean, it wouldn't exactly be normal."

Galinda giggled. "I know, but…"

"But?"

"I can't think of anything else than I would rather do," she stated, her cheeks reddening.

Elphaba smirked again. "You know, if you keep on blushing you won't need to use make-up anymore."

Galinda lightly swatted Elphaba's arm. "And here I was trying to be sincere."

Elphaba smirked more. "I know and I agree," she said, feeling bold and placing another delicate kiss on Galinda's lips.

Galinda smiled and kept her eyes closed as Elphaba once again pulled away. "You know Elphie, I'm beginning to like this thinking thing," she said, her nose brushing against Elphaba's pointed one.

Elphaba cackled softly. "I'm beginning to think you should do it more often."

Galinda opened her eyes, brown immediately meeting blue. "Only when I'm with you," she replied, closing the small gap between them once more.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, that turned out completely different than when I started…and I only meant for it to be a short bit and here it is, six pages long…well! Please review and let me know what you think!!!

Until we meet again!  
Your humble author,  
The Lonely Goatherd


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